The Empty Sidewalks
by Raiderette Levin
Summary: A sequel to my Song-Fic "Walk Away Renee".
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:Because I am a busy author who always posts things that will take forever to finish, here is another story. I found this one- almost two years old- in the vaults and decided that it was good enough to publish.**

**For all of you who have already read "Just Walk Away Renee", I thought I'd take your suggestions and continue the story. So, without further to do, here is a sequel! Enjoy, and feel free to leave reviews/comments. Your feedback is important to me. Thanks for reading! :)**

Mike Stoker eased the door open and stepped inside, kicking off his shoes and hanging up his damp coat. The summer storm had been brief and had blown away as quickly as it came. He had stayed at the school until the rain had ceased, regaining himself and drying his eyes.

"Is that you, honey?" His mother's voice called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's me!" Mike hoped that all traces of his mourning had disappeared, because if he had as much as one tear in his eye, his mother would know. He wandered into the kitchen and saw her making a garden salad.

"I was hoping you got out of the rain. Did you stay dry?"

"Yeah." He looked to the empty dining room table. "Want me to set the table?"

"If you'd like."

He pulled the plates and cups out of the cupboards and retrieved silverware from a drawer. He set the table for two and went to his mother's side. "Anything else?"

"I've got it under control. It should be done, soon."

"Okay." He sat down in his spot. Had he really been gone that long? It was amazing how time flew when you were reminiscing.

Mrs. Stoker had just set the salad on the table when her timer rang. She pulled a beef pot roast out of the oven and set it on the stovetop for cutting. Once that chore was complete, she brought the rest of the meal to the table and sat with her son.

"Shall we pray?"

The two held hands as Mike led them in prayer.

"Well, dig in," Mrs. Stoker said after the 'amen'.

Mike hungrily helped himself to large portions of roast, carrots, potatoes, green salad, and home baked bread. Mrs. Stoker then served herself and they began to dine.

"How was your nap?"

"Oh, just fine. I was awakened by the telephone. Florence Marks called."

"Really?" His wound was slowly coming undone. Florence Marks was Renee's mother. He hadn't seen her for years.

"Yes, she asked if it was true that you were back in town."

"Florence Marks asked about me?"

Mrs. Stoker nodded.

Not wanting to sound too surprised, he replied with a dull, "Hm. Wonder why."

"I don't know. Maybe you'd like to pay her and Daniel a visit? They always ask about you."

Mike stabbed a piece of lettuce with his fork and thought for a while. "Yeah, maybe I will. Tomorrow."

The rest of the meal was silent, except for the occasional casual conversation. After a delightful dessert of nectarines and cream, Mike helped put away the leftovers and did the dishes. The mother and son pair then sat down in the living room with books. Mrs. Stoker had always loved reading and shared that love with her son.

It wasn't long before the cuckoo clock chimed nine and Mrs. Stoker yawned. "Well, I know it's a tad early, but I think I'll go to bed."

"Yeah, I think I'll hit the sack, too." Mike bookmarked his page and stood. "Get an early start tomorrow."

Mrs. Stoker smiled and held out her arms to embrace him. As always, she made sure her son was the first to let go.

"'Night, Mom." Mike bent slightly to kiss his mother's cheek.

"Goodnight, Honey."

They went their separate ways and, after brushing his teeth and changing clothes, Mike eased onto the guest room bed. He stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. Flo and Dan Marks. It really had been a long time. As he remembered the people he used to basically consider his second set of parents, he couldn't help but to smile thinking back on when he first wanted to take their daughter out. He had been so nervous… Just a scrawny sixteen-year-old at the time…

_As soon as he heard the doorbell echo through their house, he wanted to turn and run. His shirt suddenly felt tight around his neck and he felt as if he should unbutton one more button. He could have sworn it was an hour before the door eased open. Why was he so nervous? Sure… He hung out with Renee all of the time, but this was their first outing labeled as a date._

_Mr. Dan Marks opened the door. Mike couldn't tell if he was pleased to see him or not. _

"_Oh, Stoker."_

"_Um… H-hello sir. I-is Renee ready?" He felt as if his eyes were as large as a Kewpie doll's. He'd never noticed it before, but Dan Marks was a pretty intimidating guy. Big, burly, hairy… Over six feet tall with two deep black pools as eyes and thinning hair as dark as night. His bushy eyebrows didn't help. Had he been in the military? Mike couldn't remember, but if not, he should have been._

"_I'll go see." Dan didn't even invite him in. He closed the door most of the way and walked off. Mike waited nervously, biting his lower lip. It must have been a decade before the door reopened, and there was his beautiful Renee in a new dress. Dan was standing beside her._

"_I only ask a few things of you, Stoker."_

"_And w-what's that, sir?"_

"_Be nice, polite, hold doors open for her, have a good time, have her home by eleven, and no funny stuff."_

"_F-funny stuff, sir?"_

_By that time, Renee had her shoes on. "Sure, Dad, he knows. See you later, come on Mike." She grabbed his arm and led him off of the front porch. Mike couldn't recall the last time he'd felt so relieved. Well, except for the fact that he knew Dan was still watching them._

"_We hang out all the time. He's never set rules before."_

_Renee shrugged. "Just have me home by eleven and we'll be fine."_

_They went for burgers and then roller skating. The live band that night was excellent and the rates were cheap. Mike was having such a good time, he seemed to have lost track of it. One glimpse at his watch ended the magic night._

"_Renee! It's ten thirty-five! We've got to split!" _

_They yanked their skates off and shoved on their shoes before racing all the way back to Renee's. Mike's watch turned to ten fifty-nine just as he rang the doorbell, panting and gasping for air. _

_The door swung open and Dan grabbed Renee's arm, pulling her inside. "What'd I say, Stoker?"_

"_Sir, by my watch, we still have another minute!"_

_Dan looked at his watch. "Oh yeah? Well mine says eleven-o-one." The door was slammed in Mike's face before he could even muster a decent goodnight or a kiss. Was that man really her dad, or was he a jail warden?_

Mike had to smile about the memory. Those were the days, the carefree days, filled with laughter, freedom, carelessness, and Renee. He yawned drowsily and then closed his eyes and drifted off, smiling complacently.


	2. Chapter 2

Mike woke up the next morning with the smell of bacon enticing him. Groggily, he pulled the covers off and changed clothes. After pulling a comb through his hair, he exited the room and wandered into the kitchen. As usual, Mrs. Stoker was already busy at the stove.

"'Morning, Mom." Mike approached the cook and kissed her cheek.

Mrs. Stoker smiled as she flipped the bacon in the skillet. "Good morning, Mike. Go ahead and sit down. It'll be ready in a few minutes."

Mike did as he was told and waited patiently. His mother soon joined him at the table with a plate of bacon. They served themselves eggs, bacon, and home baked cinnamon rolls, along with tall glasses of milk.

"Going to see Danny and Flo today?"

Mike swallowed a gulp of milk. "Yeah, I plan on it. Maybe after I get ready. Think they'll be up?"

"Oh, they're sure to be."

Once breakfast was finished and cleaned up, Mike brushed his teeth, tucked in his shirt, and stared in the mirror. He looked the same, just a little older. They were sure to recognize him. Somehow, he doubted that was the only thing tying his stomach into knots.

_I can't be bothered if they mention her, _he thought. _I'll work with myself first. Renee. Renee. Renee. Renee… _Mike hadn't realized that he had begun to say it out loud until his mother stopped in the doorway, giving him a strange look.

"Mike?"

He jumped and turned. "Oh Mom, hi. You startled me."

"Is everything alright?"

"Sure… It's just fine. Uh… Maybe I'll go see the Markses now." Mike strapped on his watch, slipped on his shoes, and stepped out onto the street.

The sun had already risen, submerging everything below in its golden rays. He reminisced all the way to the Marks household, promising himself that he would not react strangely upon the mention of Renee. It was going to be a nice, casual visit.

He couldn't help but to feel slightly nostalgic as he walked the all too familiar streets. Sweet and sour memories were etched into the old pavement and lingering on each blade of grass. One breath of memory-laden air pitched his mind into the past.

_It was a warm summer's day and he was spending it like any other-with Renee. The weather they had been anticipating in the weeks since school had gotten out had finally arrived. The sun rose early and set late, yet still the days seemed all too short in what they had decided was going to be the best summer ever._

_Mike had just gotten his driver's license and his mother had granted him use of the car most times he asked. Past summers had been spent roaming around town with Renee and his other friends, but that summer, they were going to travel further and see things. It was a dream they'd had for so long._

_Renee had actually been counting down the days until his drive test. "Only a few more days, Mike," she'd remind, crossing off another square on her calendar. "Just a few more days and then we can _live_."_

_The nervous boy tried to take a realistic approach. "Yeah, if I pass."_

"_You'd better pass, Silly, or I'll hate you forever!"_

_He knew she wasn't serious, but they would both be disappointed if he failed. He made sure to practice daily during the week leading up to the test. All of the practice paid off and he had passed with a high score. _

_That particular summer's day, they were planning to spend the day at Santa Monica's Pacific Ocean Park. They both had fond memories of going as children and hadn't had the chance for a visit in years. Mike was going to pick up Renee at nine so they could get an early start and stay in Santa Monica all day._

_When the young man arrived outside of Renee's house, he saw her waiting outside on the doorstep. The minute he pulled up, she rushed out to meet him, probably wishing to avoid an etiquette recitation from her father. The minute she closed the car door, they were off._

_Arriving at P.O.P., as the park was affectionately called by locals, they paid their own ways in and decided to start at the Sea Circus where they caught a good show and fed the seals afterwards. The couple then wandered through King Neptune's Courtyard and rode the carousel. They laughed their way through the funhouse and every other free attraction as well as a few paid ones before wandering to where they could watch the sun slip over the Pacific._

_This spot ended up to be on a driftwood log on the beach just outside of the park. As they watched the orange orb sink out of sight, they discussed the fun-filled day that was coming to a close too soon._

"_You don't think your dad would be mad if we stayed out for a while after dark, do you?" asked Mike._

_Renee shrugged. "Probably, but I'm thinking it'd be worth the risk."_

"_Do you really think so?" The thought of angering Mr. Marks always made Mike nervous._

"_Of course. What'll he do? Yell?" She offered him a playful smile. "Look at this, Mike, this is _beautiful_. We're in Santa Monica, just the two of us. We're _free_. No parents to boss us around…"_

_He gazed out over the waves glowing a fiery orange and then at the surrounding sands. She was right; it was beautiful, and it was freeing. Even if Dan Marks scared him to death, it was all worth it. They were in high school, now, they were growing up. Dan Marks would have to learn to let go._

"_I guess you're right. Besides, we won't be out too late, maybe just another hour or so." He didn't see any harm in that. "We're almost adults; we can take care of ourselves."_

_She smiled. "Now you've got the spirit!"_

_As the sun eased down, Mike felt filled suddenly with a sense of empowerment. They were sixteen now. In just a few years, they'd be leaving home and going to college. Renee's father was much too protective for a man whose daughter would soon be a legal adult. Maybe staying out a little bit late would teach him a lesson. It was time that Dan Marks realized that Renee was not a little girl anymore._

_Without thinking, Mike draped his arm across the shoulders of his companion, causing her to look over. The next thing he knew, he was drawing close to her and then their lips met. Drawing away, he felt a rush of emotion._

_Ah, no! Dan Marks is going to kill me—_Renee _is going to kill me! What was I thinking?_

_He never could figure out what had possessed him to suddenly kiss her. He could only attribute it to the summer magic and his desire to teach her dad a lesson._

_Noticing that Renee's eyes were on him, he sought to read them. She certainly didn't look angry—and she hadn't slapped him yet—but there was something there that he couldn't read._

_He stammered, "R—Renee, I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do anything crazy like that, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings—oh…"He didn't know what to say. How could he make his apology sound more convincing?_

"_Mike, it's okay," her voice sounded almost giddy. She was smiling, he could see that now._

"_Y—you mean you're not mad?"_

"_No! Not at all! What's to be mad about?" She laughed. "Mad? Really, Mike? Me, mad at you? Are you nuts?"_

_He shook his head, although unsure of the true answer. He must have been nuts. After all, he had just kissed Renee, hadn't he? And he wasn't feeling any true remorse. _

_He shrugged, hoping to keep his cool. "Well, that's good that you're not angry. I just thought I'd ask." What a relief! The last thing he wanted to put up with was the silent treatment the whole trip home._

"_Well, now I've got something to ask you."_

"_Anything."_

"_Would you mind doing it again?"_

The next thing Mike knew, he was standing on the Marks' front porch, finger poking the doorbell.


	3. Chapter 3

The door creaked open and a familiar figure stood in the doorway, clothed in a pink house dress. Mike only got a glimpse at the figure before he was being hugged almost to the point of asphyxiation by a pair of eager arms. Before he could react, his captor spoke.

"Oh Mike! Is it really you?"

He was released as she stepped back to look at him. "Well, you've hardly changed one bit."

"You haven't changed much either, Mrs. Marks." He smiled at her familiar face. She still had raven hair in a short flip hairstyle, and her eyes were still a clear blue. Despite being over fifty now, her round face was still youthful and nearly wrinkleless. Mike almost felt as if he'd stepped out of a time machine.

"And you're still a flatterer." She paused. "Come, you must come in." Grabbing onto his wrist, she led him inside. "Danny! Look who came to visit!"

Even after several years and a time of getting along, the thought of seeing Renee's dad still made Mike nervous. Perhaps he had just been conditioned to fear him during the time when he was getting serious about his relationship with Renee. Mike and Renee had grown up together and had always been sweethearts in a way, but Dan Marks had gotten vicious and protective when Mike was a teen and wished to take his daughter out on a date.

"_What do you mean your dad won't let me take you to the movies?" Mike couldn't understand what Mr. Marks could have against a simple outing like that._

"_He says that it's a date, and that I can't go out on a date until I'm sixteen."_

"_But you're fifteen and a half! And we hang out all of the time!" It wasn't as if he was trying to take her to the drive-in, or some seedy place. They used to go to the downtown theater in grade school! Why couldn't they go that weekend?_

"_Don't you think I made that argument?" she demanded. "Dad won't budge; he says I'm too young."_

_Mike was frustrated. What difference did a few months make? What reason would Dan Marks have for not trusting him? _

Dan Marks had been seated in his usual armchair, reading the morning paper. He turned around as Mike and Florence entered and Mike froze.

"Stoker?" An eyebrow shot up.

"Hi Mr. Marks." The fireman offered him a smile.

Dan broke into a smile of his own. "Mike! They there, kid! How have you been?"

Mrs. Marks motioned towards the couch. "Go ahead and sit down. I'll get some coffee."

After shaking Dan's hand, Mike sat where he could easily talk to him.

"It's really been a long time. How are you doing, Stoker?" Dan folded the paper and set it aside.

"Well, Sir, very well. And yourself?"

"Oh, not bad." The older man removed his glasses and set them on top of the paper. "I'm looking forward to retiring in a few years. Florence and I are thinking about taking a honeymoon then. We never could afford to go on one when we first married."

Mike nodded, remembering that Mrs. Marks often mentioned that she'd always wanted to visit New England. "That sounds like fun. I'm sure she'd love that."

Dan grinned, pleased by the encouragement. "What have you been up to these days?"

"I'm a fireman now, sir, down in Los Angeles."

"That's what your mother said." Mr. Marks folded his hands in his lap. "I have to admit, I was a little surprised at first, but she said you were really cut out for the job."

"I try my best." Leave it to his mother to brag about him any chance she got.

Mr. Marks nodded. "You always have, kid."

Florence returned with three mugs of fresh, steaming coffee and passed them out. She then joined Mike on the couch.

"I can't believe you're back in town!" She smiled at him. "It's always nice to see what the old neighborhood kids are up to these days."

Mike couldn't help but to smile. It really hadn't been _that _long since he had lived there. It'd been less than ten years, and he did try to visit his mom at least once a month. She didn't live too far away, after all, and since he had left home, he knew that she was lonely.

"It's nice to see you two again, too. I guess I hadn't realized how long it's been."

"Well it's been years!" replied Florence. "I don't think we've seen you since you and Renee left for college."

He winced by reflex. There it was. There was that name. It hadn't taken long for them to bring it up. They were her parents, though, what did he expect?

"Oh, yeah, guess that was a while ago." He took a deep breath, hoping to ease some of the tension he was now perceiving. "How is she these days?"

"Just wonderful!" beamed her mother. "She's finished with school now and is getting started at the Los Angeles Times. Maybe you've seen some of her articles?"

He shook his head, dumbly, unsure of what to say. His stomach was starting to feel unusual again. Finally, he managed a, "No, I haven't."

"Keep looking," Florence responded. "You'll find one someday."

Renee was a journalist now for the Los Angeles Times? She did always want to be a journalist and had written for the school newspaper throughout high school. He made note to search for her articles next time he picked up a newspaper, they were sure to be good ones.

"She always did love to write," he half-laughed with a forced smile.

Dan agreed. "She certainly did, and she was diligent with it."

Mike nodded in affirmation, but he was feeling uneasy and nervous. What was his problem? He'd already worked with himself in the mirror that morning. He'd lost Renee years ago; he'd had plenty of time to get over it. He had discovered that life went on and could still be wonderful without Renee.

"Renee was a good writer, Sir. She was a wonderful girl."

"And you were so good to her, Mike." Florence touched his arm, showing him a reassuring smile.

"Well… I tried my best."

"Quit being so modest all of the time, Stoker!" Dan teased. "As spindly as you were, you had the guts to stand up to me. Don't you think I tested you?"

"Maybe _you _inspired him to be a fireman!" his wife joked. "You put him through plenty of fires!"

The Markses continued their friendly banter and laughing, but Mike was not paying attention. His mind was spiraling through the years, recalling all sorts of memories.

_Summer was drawing to an end and the start of senior year was looming just around the corner. It filled Mike with so much excitement and uncertainty that he wasn't sure how to feel. He decided to feel optimistic, hoping that it would dissolve the unease._

_After a fun-filled summer day of swimming, radio-listening, and fooling around with friends, Mike and Renee ate a quick burger dinner and settled in the park nearby their neighborhood. Dusk was rapidly nearing and the park was empty, probably officially closed for the night. They sat on their favorite perch—a gray boulder—and gazed up at the darkening sky. _

"_Graduation's coming up," Mike said. He hoped that discussing the future with Renee would bring him a sense of stability and control. _

"_Why do you keep bringing that up? We have a whole year left!"_

"_I don't know. I guess I just keep thinking about it." Graduating was a big deal, and not knowing what the future held made Mike feel kind of nervous. _

"_You need to slow down, Mike. Graduation's in June, but what matters is right now. I mean, look at that beautiful sky, smell the summer air. Why wish it all away?" She closed her eyes and inhaled the cooling summer air._

_Mike did the same, but he couldn't stop thinking about the future. He wasn't as good as living for the moment as Renee was, at least not at the present. _

_He stretched both arms around Renee, trapping her in his warm embrace. She seemed caught off guard at first, but soon recovered. Mike looked down at her and asked, "What are you going to do after high school?"_

"_I'm going to run away and join the circus!" She spread her arms out and laughed, breaking away from the hug. _

_Mike knew that she was a free spirit, but he also knew that she had to be kidding. "The circus?"_

"_What? Can't you see it? Can't you see me swinging high on the trapeze and riding on the back of a huge old elephant?" She smiled at him and he smiled back in amusement. _

"_You mean you're going to make me pay to see you?"_

_She burst into ridiculous laughter, and he smiled, glad to have gotten a giggle out of her. _

"_You're crazy, but I love you." Renee threw her arms around Mike, giving him a kiss on his cheek. _

"_I love you, too." And as he drew closer to give her a kiss of his own, he realized that she'd helped him forget about the future. She had a very valid point about caring about the moment rather than the future. Being with Renee always helped him to forget and relax. _

_Gosh, how he loved her._

The next thing Mike knew, it was nearing lunch and the visit was coming to a close.

"You're sure you won't stay around for lunch?" Mrs. Marks asked again.

"I'd like to, but I can't leave Mom all alone."

"Don't be a stranger, Stoker." Dan Marks held out his hand and Mike shook it.

"I'll be sure to come back before I leave."

"Make it sooner rather than later."

Mike smiled at Florence. "I'll try my best."

"It was nice to see you again, Sweetie. Thanks for stopping by." She gave Mike a kiss on the cheek that he returned with a hug.

"Sure thing. I'll see you guys soon." As soon as Mike started for home, his mind went up in the clouds. Well, he'd survived the visit; he'd survived hearing them speak of Renee. He'd survived a conversation about Renee. Maybe he wasn't as hopeless as he thought, maybe he was over Renee.

Or maybe it just felt so nice to talk about her again.


	4. Chapter 4

After lunch, Mike found himself scrutinizing the day's paper, looking for an all-too familiar name. When he had the chance, he always read the Times at the fire station. How could he have missed seeing any of Renee's articles? He could only imagine how upset she would be if she knew that he had missed them.

_Mike always anticipated the day that the once-monthly school newspaper was issued. He liked to look at the pictures and read about what was happening in sports. And of course, he always read Renee's articles first. She kept students updated on what was going on in student government. He had to admit that student government wasn't the most interesting topic in his mind, but Renee would kill him if he skipped over it like he had the first time._

_Excitedly holding the most recent school newspaper in his hands, Mike flipped through it, eyes scanning the pages. He knew that Renee had spent all month perfecting her articles, and he couldn't wait to support her efforts by reading the paper. _

_By the time he had finished looking through it, he felt sheepish and confused. Why, he hadn't seen Renee's name. Had he missed it? Was it not in there?_

_Renee approached, smiling big. "I just finished filling all of the newsstands." She plopped down next to Mike. "What do you think of my articles?"_

"_Are you sure Mr. Freeman remembered to put you in here?"_

_She looked confused. "Yeah, why? Am I not in there?"_

"_I just went through the entire paper and I didn't see you."_

"_Let me see." Renee seized the paper and opened it up. It was immediately returned to Mike's hands. "I'm on page one, you dummy!" He could tell that she was relieved._

"_Oh. I didn't see that."_

"_You just said that you went through the whole paper."_

"_I did." He looked to the title of Renee's article, finding it to sound of no interest to him. "I read the entire sports section and the opinion piece."_

"_I write for _student news._" She paused, turning to him. "You skipped over it, didn't you?"_

_He shrugged. "I guess it didn't sound that interesting."_

_Renee slugged his arm. "Thanks for the compliment._

_And from that day forward, he always read campus first._

Mike was scanning the local news section when his mother looked over. She was sitting the nearby couch, knitting another hat for the upcoming charity craft sale. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

"No. Just… looking." Mike fervently scanned the page in front of him before turning to the next. City council, levies, voters, the mayor… He let out an odd sort of gasp.

Renee.

His mother looked over. "What outrageous thing happened in L.A. now?"

He shook his head to clear it. "Nothing, I just…" Mike couldn't think of a good excuse, so he didn't even make one. His eyes scanned the article, hungrily, eating up every single word, all 1,273 of them. It was the first connection he'd had with Renee since she had broken his heart and skipped town. After the first read-through, he read it again. And once more. And again.

"Must be a very interesting story," Mrs. Stoker mused, watching her son devour the words at the bottom of the page.

"Sure, it's alright." Mike read the story again and then stopped. Maybe that wasn't her only story? Maybe Renee had written more? This led him on another fast-paced search through the Times. With each turn of the page, he felt more and more unusual. He was happy to have found the article, but he also felt a bit sad. There was no reasonable explanation for why he felt so odd, and Mike wished that he could shake it.

Mrs. Stoker resumed her knitting, but found herself getting distracted by her son's odd behavior. "Oh Mike, for goodness' sake, what is going on?"

How could he explain it? The hysteria, disbelief, and oddness? Without giving it much thought, he uttered a plain, "Renee Marks is a journalist now. I was looking for her articles."

The muscles in Mrs. Stoker's face relaxed as her expression softened. "Oh Honey…" she didn't finish, but Mike caught was she was thinking. His mother had always been a sympathetic woman, and she'd showered him with it his entire life.

Folding the paper up, her son replied soberly, "What the heck am I doing…?" He tossed the Times aside and let out a deep breath. All he was doing was letting Renee keep her hold on him, even after all of those years. She had departed long ago, going their own ways and becoming their own people. Why did he always insist on playing with the past?

His mother was still watching him—trying to read him maybe. He sat tall, hoping to regain his dignity. "It was a long time ago."

"It can still hurt, Mike; it's only human." Mrs. Stoker laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Your father died in Korea, and that was a _very _long time ago."

"Well that's…" Mike searched for the word, "different."

"Maybe. But maybe it's all loss."

Mrs. Stoker's allegory made Mike feel even sillier, and even a bit selfish. True, Mrs. Stoker had lost her husband, and he had lost Renee, but the loss of Mr. Stoker had been more serious and devastating. Charles Stoker had not chosen to leave behind a brokenhearted wife and lonely son, but Renee had decided that she and Mike were no longer meant for one another. When Mike's dad had died, the entire family dynamic had shifted, and Mrs. Stoker had never bothered to remarry. When Renee had left Mike, well, what had happened? A broken heart? Some unanswered questions? Lovers come and go and can always be replaced, but not a father.

But he still dreamed about Renee, he still wished to see her. He still wondered what he did wrong, and sometimes he wondered if he still loved her. Both losses had left a lasting impression on Mike.

He began to see where his mother may have been coming from.

"It's okay, Mom. I'm a big guy now, and I'll get over this." He shrugged. "It's long overdue, anyways, I mean, how long ago was this? Four, five years at least?"

"Well, take it one step at a time." Mrs. Stoker resumed her knitting. "Healing is a lengthy process, and I don't want you shorting yourself."

"I'll be okay."

And when he returned to Los Angeles, he'd have to keep an extra keen eye out.


End file.
